Study will review long-term effectiveness of Bt corn

Research grant offered by Monsanto Insect Management Knowledge Program will fund study on long-term ability of Bt corn to control pests

Aug 20, 2015

Michigan State University's Dr. Felicia Wu will study the long-term effectiveness of Bt corn against insect pests with the help of a research grant from the Monsanto Insect Management Knowledge Program.

The proposal was entitled "An Agent Based Model of Insect Adaptation to Transgenic Insecticidal Corn."

The National Corn Growers Association, which supports the Monsanto program, said Wu's project will develop a model to consider the factors that affect insect adaptation to the Bt proteins in corn: farmer behaviors, refuge strategy, insecticide usage, combination of traits used, crop rotation and others.

Research grant offered by Monsanto Insect Management Knowledge Program will fund study on long-term ability of Bt corn to control pests

NCGA Director of Research and New Uses Dr. Richard Vierling serves on the grant review committee to ensure the projects will develop tools that meet farmers' needs. The research addresses the following areas: development of predictive models of resistance; farmer education and training; and sustainable pest management.

Monsanto also has selected other projects for funding in 2015, including:

• A study to review whitefly resistance to several key selective insecticides in a multi-crop system

• A study to better understand the biology and ecology of target pests of Bt toxin

• A study to understand durability of aphid resistance by understanding the mechanisms of virulence to Rag-genes in soybeans